bonoPizza Founders Switching to Tacos

You may know Bill and Peggy Yerkes as the brains behind bonoPizza on Northwest Boulevard, but the couple recently decided that its time to move on to their next dining adventure.

“As of the other day, Peg and I ended our involvement in bono completely,” said Bill. “It is, however, still being operated.”

The new restaurant that the Yerkes are working on will be called topoTaco, featuring a variety of traditional and unique flavors wrapped up in tortillas designed for eating on the go.

“As much as I like to make and eat pizza, it just seemed like a sort-of natural switch, considering that many many of the fresh ingredients used in both are identical,” said Bill. “I like the idea that we can offer people something really good for a couple bucks, and they can eat it while walking around.

Bill is no stranger to providing food-to-go. In the mid-nineties he operated a crepe cart in Downtown Columbus, though many potential customers had no idea what crepes were.

“I became discouraged until I made a handwritten sign that said ‘French Burritos’ and actually sold a bunch,” explained Bill. “The first Latino Festival was held that summer, and I was one of two vendors selling food. We both sold out.”

The location of topoTaco has yet to be revealed. In the expected Bill Yerkes fashion, he remains playfully vague on the subject, adding a bit of mystery to the announcement.

“I’m not tryin’ to be a jerk, but I can’t in fairness say much until it’s totally official,” he stated. “We’ve decided to also do something Downtown and in two other spaces in areas where I think they’ll be well received.”

The opening date of the new restaurant is a similar type of mystery.

“My birthday is March 2nd and the month of April is National Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month,” said Yerkes. “So I hope to open somewhere in between those major holidays.”

As for the tacos themselves, the menu should see a bit of traditional Mexican and Latin flavor profiles combined with some Southeast Asian influences.

“On a trip to Cambodia I kept running into little stands selling something that sure seemed to be taco-like in assembly and textures except they were all vegetarian with somewhat exotic ingredients,” said Bill. “We’ve been experimenting with some of the combinations we’d tasted and holy crap are they are good.”

Tortillas will also be made fresh on site with a small glass-sided machine that Bill describes as a process similar to watching donuts being made at Krispy Kreme.

“With palates here in Columbus being as sophisticated as they are, I’m pretty confident that these tacos will be well-received,” he added. “Even one who’s main filling is cactus, three kinds of basil and these odd-looking shoots that taste like onions and garlic at the same time.”

Stay tuned for more information as topoTaco gets closer to opening.

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Walker is the co-founder of ColumbusUnderground.com and TheMetropreneur.com along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media from a hobby into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.

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Walker is the co-founder of ColumbusUnderground.com and TheMetropreneur.com along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media from a hobby into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.